Mechanism for converting railroad-rails into flat plates



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. DURAND. MECHANISM FOR CONVERTING RAILROAD RAILS INTO FLAT PLATES.. N0. 415 1. Pate 0v. 12, 18 89.

IRII" HQ/ I ai we'ntoi (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A; DURAND.

MECHANISM FOR CONVERTING RAILROAD RAILS INTO FLAT PLATBS..

N0. 415,031. Patented Nov. 12,1889.

UNITED STATES- P-PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR DURAND, OF \VASI'IINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE METALLIC RAILIVAY TIE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MECHANISM FOR CONVERTING RAILROAD-RAILS INTO FLAT PLATES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 415,031, dated November 12, 1889.

I Application filed May 13, 1839. Serial No. 319,489. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR DURAND, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing at WVashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for Converting Railroad-Rails into Flat Plates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the 'art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to mechanism for rerolling railroad-rails into flat plates. I-Ieretofore old railroad-rails have been rerolled in a direction longitudinal of theirlength; This method is objectionable, owing to the fact that by such method square sheet metal plates with regular edges or of sufficient -or uniform thickness and width are not obtainable by a single rolling operation. Onthe contrary, it has been found that irregularlyshaped plates with ragged edges are produced by such lengthwise rolling of the rails, necessitating, in order to produce a square sheet or plate of metal, the cutting off or trimming of the respective ends of the rolled plate and the consequent loss and Waste of material and materially circumscribing the size of the plate. By my improvements I overcome these defects and objectionable features, and am able at one continuous operation and in a single machine to reroll old rails so as to produce, Without the slightest Waste of material and without the necessity of after manipulation, perfectly square sheets of uniform shape and thickness.

My present improvements consist in certain novel constructions and arrangements of parts constituting a complete rolling-mill, as hereinafter set forth, whereby old railroadrails can be most effectively, correctly, speedily, and thoroughly rerolled in a transverse direction Without Waste or necessity for subsequent manipulation into fiat plates of the requisite width, length, and thickness.

While my present improved machine is primarily designed for 'rerolling rails to produce plates for use in forming metallic railroad-ties of peculiarly novel construction the subject of another application for patent Briefly stated, the old rails are passed longitudinally through a pair of rolls of peculiar formation, whereby the flanges alone-are subjected to the rolling operation for the purpose of bending said flanges inward and toward each other. As the rail passes. along the bent-over flanges are subjected to a further rolling byapair of similarly-shaped rolls adjacent to the first pair of rolls,whereby the flanges are compressed and rolled together in flat form. As the rail, with its tread untouched by the pair of rolls first referred to, is drawn therethrough by the revolution of said rolls it drops upon a hinged table or slide, by which, through the medium of suitable mechanism adapted to slide said table or slide transversely of said rolls, said rail is presented to another pair of rolls arranged transversely of the first -named' rolls, by which the tread and flange of said rail are subjected to a transverse rolling operation B to roll or flatten them out to a thickness uniform with the thickness of the web of the rail. When the rail has thus been rolled transversely-that is, in the direction of its width it, on coming from the transversely-operating rolls, falls upon a slide, which, by suitable operating mechanism, presents the rail,which, it must be remembered, up to this time has had only its tread and flange subjected to the action of the rolls to another pair of rolls journaled in the framing of the machine at the end thereof opposite to that in which the first-named series of rolls is journaled. These last-mentioned rolls roll the plate to the desired width, thickness, and length, according to the purpose for which it is to be employed.

The several series of rolls are connected together by suitable gearing, and are actuated by any suitable mechanism or motive power to secure their uniform, continuous, and automatic action.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of my improved machine or rolling-mill. Fig. 2 represents a top plan thereof. Fig. 3 represents a transverse section taken on the line a a of Figs. 1 and 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 4 is a detail view representing the appearance of a rail after it is subjected to the rolling or compressing operation of the first pair of rolls. Fig, 5 represents the appearance of the rail after it has been subjected to the operation of the second pair of rolls. Fig. 6 represents the appearance of the plate or sheet after it has passed between the plate-forming rolls mounted parallel of the machine. Fig. 7 represents a portion of a completely-formed sheet or plate as produced by this machine, the plates as turned out by my machine being of the uniform and even-edged character throughout, as represented in the partial view of a sheet shown in this figure.

In reducing railroad-rails and converting the same into flat plates for the subsequent formation of said plates by stamping between dies or otherwise into articles of different forms-such, for, instance, as railroad crossties and for varied use in the mechanic arts the rail to be rerolled and converted into a flat plate is, either by hand or by suitable mechanical means, inserted endwise between a pair of irregularly-shaped rolls 1. These rolls are each formed with a circumferentially recessed or diminished portion 3, between which the flange of the rail is bent after the manner shown in Fig. a, said rolls also being formed at the ends thereof opposite to 2,with a still further circumferentially-dilninished portion 3 to receive the tread of the rail which passes through without being operated upon by said rolls, the central portion 4 of greater circumference than the end portions rolling along the web of the rail, but without reducing the same.

The rail with its flange partly compressed, as in Fig. 4, passes to a second pair of rolls 5, connected by suitable gearing with the rolls 1., being journaled in the frame of the machine parallel with the rolls 1. The rolls 5 are of somewhat similar shape to the shape of the rolls 1, except that the inner ends 6 thereof are of greater circumference than the ends 3 of the rolls 1. These rolls 5 are arranged to revolve in a closer plane than are the rolls 1. The consequence .of this, in connection with the enlargement of the ends 6, is that as said rail passes between the second pair of rolls 5 the two members of the flange will be flattened down upon each other and the tread also slightly flattened, as shown in Fig. 5. As the partly-rolled rail emerges from this second pair of rolls 5, it is deposited upon a tilting table 7 at the front of the machine.

Upon the rail dropping upon this table 7 the latter turns downward upon its pivots and deposits the rail upon a slide 8, which, by lever-connection 9 with a piston, valve-gear, and steam-supply, as indicated in Fig. 3, is reeiprocated to and from the plate-forming rolls 10, though any known method of actuating the operative parts of the mechanism may be employed, and which pushes the rail sidewise into engagement with a pair of railreducing and plate-forming rolls 1O revolving at right angles to the rolls 1 5. By these rolls 10 the rail is rolled sidewisei. c., across its length-into plate form, as shown in Fig. (i. The tilting table 7 is restored to its horizontal position by a weight, cord, and pulley arrangement, such as is represented in Figs. '1 and 2. The now-formed plate is automatically discharged by the continued rotation of the rolls 10 upon another hinged table 11 atthe rear of the machine, the weight of the superposed plate causing said table 11 to drop down and deposit said plate upon a longitudinally-reciprocating slide 12, traveling in suitable guideways in the framing at the rear of the machine. By this slide 12, which may be reciprocated in any known manner-such, for instance,as by piston-connection with a steamehest, as shown, connected with a suitable steam-supplythe plate shown in Fig. 6 is presented to a pair of rolls 13, transversely journaled within the machine at its rear and at the end thereof opposite'to that in which the rolls 1 and 5 are journaled. By these rolls 13 the plate shown in Fig. 6 is subjected to afurther rolling operation for the purpose ofincreasing its width and length and reducing its thickness. In cases where such a thinning, lengthening, and widening of the plate is not desired, the plate can be removed from the rolls 10 and not permitted to discharge therefrom upon the slide 8. The first operating or flange-bending rolls 1 and 5 are conneeted together to revolve in unison by sprocket-wheels 14 and endless chain 15, the outer or first pair of rolls 1 gearing with one end of the plate-forming rolls 10 by bevelpinions 16, the other ends of said rolls 10 being connected by bevel-gearing 17 with the last operating-pair of plate-forming rolls.

18 represents cog-wheels upon one end of each roll 10, which, meshing the one with the other, secure the simultaneous rotation in opposite directions of said rolls 10.

19 represents toothed wheels connecting the pair of rolls 1, while 20 represents a similar mode of connection between the rolls 5.

21 represents ordinary screw devices for regulating the distance apart of each roll of a pair.

It will thus be seen that the entire series of rolls is connected together to revolve in unison.

What I claim is 1. A machine for converting railroad-rails into plate form, consisting of a series of connected rolls adapted to roll the flange of the rail lengthwise into flat form, rolls revolving in a direction transverse to said flange-reducing rolls and gearing therewith and adapted to roll and flatten out in a sidewise direction the tread and flange of the rail and thereby form a fiat plate, rail securing and presenting devices adapted to present the rail to said plate-forming rolls, rolls geared with the plate-forming rolls and journaled in the rear of the machine and transversely of the plateforming rolls for rerolling lengthwise the plate to the desired thinness, length, and Width, and conveying devices for conveying the plates from the plate-forming rolls to the plate-rolling rolls.

2. In a machine for converting railroadrails into flat plates, the combination of a series of irregularly-shaped rolls adapted to flatten the flange of the rail, rolls for rolling the tread and flange in a direction transverse of their length, gearing connecting the series of said rolls together, and suitable operating devices for actuating said gearing.

3. In a machine for converting railroad-rails into'flat plates,.the combination of a series of irregularly-shaped rolls adapted to flatten the flange of the rail, rolls for rolling the tread and flange in a direction transverse of their length into plate form, rolls for rolling said plate longitudinally, gearing connecting the respective series of rolls, and suitable operative mechanism for actuating said gearing.

l. A machine for converting railroad-rails into flat plates, consisting of a series of connected rolls of irregular shape adapted to flatten in longitudinal direction the railflange, rolls gearing Wit-h the flange-bending rolls and adapted to receive the flange-bent rail and present the same transversely to said transversely-rolling rails, a slide adapted to receive said transversely-rolled rail and present the same to a pair of endWise-rolling rolls, rolls gearing with the transverse-rolling rolls and adapted to longitudinally reroll the plate on its delivery from the transverselyrolling rolls, and suitable power-imparting devices for actuating the roll-connecting gearing and rail and plate presenting slides.

5. machine for converting railroad-rails into flat plates, consisting of a series of irregularly-shaped rolls for compressing the Wings of the flange together, a hinged table adapted to receive said flange-bent rail and deposit the same upon a slide, and having Weightconnection to return said table to its normal position, a transversely reciprocating slide adapted to present said rail to the plate-forming rolls, rolls adapted to roll said plate trans- Versely into plate form, a hinged and tilting table adapted to receive the plate on its discharge from the last-named rolls and present the same to a 'longitudinally-reciprocating slide at the rear of the machine, a Weight adapted to return said table to its normal position, a longitudinally reciprocating slide adapted to receive said plate on its discharge from the transversely-rolling rolls and present the same to lengthwise-rolling rolls at one end of the machine, rolls for rerolling said plate lengthwise, gearing connecting the several series of rolls together, and suitable power mechanism connected with said gearing, and slides for actuating the same.

111 testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR DURAND. Witnesses:

CHAS. J. GoooH, LoUIs C. MI LIGAN. 

